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5 Fatal Physician Curriculum Vitae Errors – 6/17/2014

Top five must-avoid physician curriculum vitae errors

There is some information that should be left out of a physician's curriculum vitae (CV) even though it may seem right to include it. Knowing what not to list will help physicians avoid looking naive or foolish to perspective employers and hiring managers reviewing their CV. Below are the top five things every physician should eliminate from their curriculum vitae.

1. Nicknames and abbreviations

Using abbreviations may save some space on the page, but it can also lead to confusion. For this reason it is best to avoid both abbreviations and nicknames. Instead, use the full names of people, places, titles, and events that appear on the CV. For example, if you’re applying for a pediatric orthopedic surgeon position, nowhere in the CV should the job title be abbreviated as pedi-ortho surgeon or some version of it. It is much better to trim irrelevant information than to confuse important details with abbreviations and nicknames.

2. Personal information

There is a lot of personal information that must be listed on a physician's CV, but there is much more that should be left out—anything illegal for an employer to request, for example. This includes sexual orientation, race/nationality, family situation, marital status, religious affiliation, and age/birth date. Furthermore, it is a good idea for a physician to avoid listing any social media accounts, websites, or other online profiles of a personal nature. Instead, focus on professional healthcare associations and networks.

3. Non-medical work experience

At one time or another, most people have taken on employment for the sole purpose of paying bills, putting food on the table, or paying for educational expenses. However, these jobs are of little relevance on a physician’s curriculum vitae and should be excluded. Instead, a physician's CV should be focused on work, both volunteer and paid, that relates to their medical experience. This can include clinic hours, volunteer positions, international aid work, and similar endeavors. Physicians who are returning to practice after time away from the profession should carefully explain any extended periods of employment in non-medical positions that resulted in gaps in their employment history.

4. Test scores

Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores, while important in determining the likelihood someone will succeed in a given program of study or residency, are irrelevant to most employers. Furthermore, any physician with a few years of experience should have accomplished more than just high test scores. Scores on placement tests are only relevant to schools and other educational institutions, and even then, are typically requested in other application materials. Rather than duplicate this information on a physician's CV, it is better to free up space for more important information.

Vague and general statements only add confusion to a physician's curriculum vitae. Rather than simply stating “volunteered at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center” say, “served in a volunteer capacity at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, assisting staff physicians in history-taking, physicals, and inpatient care of admitted patients. Additionally, a physician's CV should make reference to multiple projects, reports, articles, and other highlights of their work. Making reference to articles, books, and other publications is an excellent way to convey a knack for research and writing. If the employer or hiring manager reviewing the CV is familiar with the work, or has access to it, they’re better able to judge the competence of the physician candidate for themselves.